Tomassa Zahir
:The Origin of the Lioness of Hedgehem ---- From the Original Game - not to be confused with the restart: Tomassa Zahir is a woman who has never liked to take a backseat to men. She's a jousting competition winner, an excellent swordswoman, and an accomplished rider. Her Bramblestone Irregulars were as tough a band of guardsmen as any in the kingdom and were known for coming to help fight off the Wildlings when they attacked Hawk's Aerie. The noblewoman was elevated to the status of Royal when the Emperor named her as the first female to serve in the position of Surrector in his Imperial Council. The Lightkeeper Shalis Kahar renounced some of his vows to marry the woman in the year 625, the same year that the Zahiress was removed from the position of Surrector by acting Regent Oren Nillu. Tomassa was not seen much in public when Shalis went missing, though her Irregulars spent many days searching for the man. An exhorbitant reward was offered for his safe return, but there were no responses. His body was finally located in the river and he had a proper, though very private funeral at Bramblestone Keep. Not long after, the plague took the life of her son, Tomas, who was 12 years old. This tragic death meant more than the loss of Tomassa's only child. When Tomas died, the Contessa lost Bramblestone as well. Her father's will had stipulated that she was only the Keep's trustee until her son came of age. When he died, the Zahiress respectfully adhered to her father's will and turned Bramblestone Keep (also known as Craven Rock) over to the Blades. After that, she was seen keeping a quiet profile while traveling the realm with the occasional companionship of a famous forester named Kenneth Fionnlagh and a Freelander named Dirk. She seemed older and more subdued to those who knew her before the drastic changes in her life. Rumor has it that the former Surrector spent a great deal of imperials at the tax assessor's office before the coup to pay taxes for a diverse list of people. Some of those she saved from arrest were Markus Kahar, Thayndor Zahir and several craftsmen. The coup found Tomassa coincidentally present at the palace on the very day of the Dark Feather Insurrection. She was not sent to the dungeon as many others were and, in fact, was given the title of Lady Grand Chamberlain in service to Emperor Zolor Zahir the First. Assigned by the Emperor to be her bodyguard was Sir Lucius Nepos, former commander of the elite taskforce called the Flying Daggers. Nepos' assignment didn't last long, however, as the Justiciar had other plans for the man and Nepos was reassigned without so much as a word from the Justiciar with Tomassa. Can trouble already be brewing in the palace between Zahirs before the gates are even re-opened? Apparently not, since no further incidents occurred between the woman and the Justiciar. She has tirelessly served at the palace until recently when she has taken to leaving for long stretches of time and all but disappearing in those interims. Interesting Quotes From Risks of Play "My father had no sons, Varal," Tomassa confesses as she settles back into her seat. "So I became the next best thing. The church... was not for me. I have not the temperament for it and, frankly, I think my father was happier that I did not become a Scourge. However, I am an able steward, a skilled warrior, and I fiercely protect and defend those near and dear to me. Bramblestone has never flourished as well as it does now. I am all that my father could have ever desired in a son, but for the fact that I am not male. He would be very proud of me, were he still alive. What angers me is that I have proved with my -life- that I can do a man's duties, yet I am still treated as someone... lesser." ---- From Battle of Aerie Heights - Part II "Had I known that my sister was present, I might not have come," Tomassa says as she frowns in Aylora's direction. "If we both perish this night, that will leave my son in Zolor's charge." The woman looks sidelong to Demetrius and slowly, dangerously smiles. "All the more reason to fight with everything I have, eh?" she asks. A few steps take her toward Aylora. Tomassa's iron longsword is wielded in her right hand, but the approach to Aylora isn't threatening. "Sister! Do you require anything that I might give before we press onward?" ........................................................... Song of the Irregulars: But the echo of shouts and heavy boots running hails a change to the advantage of the valorous fighters: uphill, only shortly after the Count, comes a squadron of well forty men in the livery of Bramblestone, shouting their song at the top of their lungs: "We're rowdy men both brave and true! We serve the fierce Contessa who none of you louts would dare pursue! Piss her off and we'll run you through! Irregulars are we..." Steel rings as swords are drawn, and behind the frontline archers move up to take aim. ---- Badges Category:Zolor_Zahir_Web Zahir Category: Tomassa Tomassa Zahir Tomassa Zahir category:Chiaroscuro Characters category:Book of the White Tree category:Book of the White Tree category:Pages with Badges category:Saga Legends